Massive ring manufacture



I May 9, 1933.

H. M. NAUGLE ET Al.

MASSIVE RING MANUFACTURE Filed Sept. 18, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VENTORS EMA angle AJ Tow/Mend j LM {ATTORNEYS MASSIVE RING MANUFACTURE FiledSept. 18, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS H M Nauyla A. J TownsendAYTORNEYIS H. M. NAUGLE ET AL MASSIVE RING MANUFACTURE May 9, 1933.

Fil d Sept. 18. 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORS BY EMA/011310 A J.Tawizsend May 9, 1933.

H. M. NAUGLE ET AL 1,908,169

MAS S IVE RING MANUFACTURE m N m n INVENTORS BY EMA/bugle A. J TawnsendATTORNEYJ Patented May .9, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicE HARRY M.NAUGLE"AND ARTHUR J2. TOWNSEND, OF CANTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOBS TO NAUGLE &TOWNSEND, DELAWARE ING.,'OF WILMINGTON, DELAWARE, A CORPORATION 01'MASSIVE RING MANUFACTURE Application filed September 18, 1931. SerialNo. 563,588.

Substantial progress has been made in the manufacture of massive metalrings having a substantially square cross section of six- I teen squareinches and upwards and a circum- 5 ferential length of twenty-five feetand ratus set forth in our prior applications filed,

. respectively, May 17 1930, Serial No. 453,310 since abandoned, andJuly 2, 1930, Serial No.

465,303, matured in Patent No. 1,882,516 on October 11, 1932. i

In the practical operation of the apparatus and the use of the methodsset forth in said prior applications, some difliculties havebeen'experienced because of the formation of cavities or openings incertain portions or regions of the rings; arising, no doubt, from thedifferential rate of coolin and solidifying of themolten metal in diferent regions of the cross section of the metal which forms the ring.

Even though the ring is made by flowing and compressing molten metalwhich has previously been deoxidized, at Ya tem' erature of 2600 F, andupward, into a rapid y rotating annular mold, maintaining centrifugalpressure until the metal is cooled to a selfsustainin plastic condition,and then re-' ducing t e centrifugal pressure until the metal hasfurther cooled to permit the ring to shrink without a granulardisintegration of the metal, as set forth in said application Serial No.465,303; certain cavities or open ings may be formed in differentportions or regions of, the ring, and inwardly extending flanges or finsare usually formed on one or both, especially on the lower one oftheinner corners of the ring, which fins must be sevcried and removedtherefrom before straightenin and rolling a section of the ring, as setorth in said application, Serial No. 453,310.

When such cavities or openings are formed in the body of the metal, eventhough deoxidized or killed steel is used,-the usually occur in or nearthe median plane, a out midway bet een the pp r a d lower faces of thering, and considerably nearer to the inner face than to the outer faceor periphery of the ring; and although the cavities or openings do notusually extend entirely around the ring, their presence in any part orregion thereof is very objectionable, and um less the section of thering containing suchcavities or openin s can be located and eliminated,there may e a serious flaw in the finished product made therefrom.

It is, therefore, the principal purpose of the present improvements, toprevent the formation of cavities or openingsin the body of massivemetal rings made in rotating molds from deoxidized steel, and to preventthe formation of projecting fins on the inner corners thereof; and thatpurpose may be accomphshed in ageneral wa by controlling the rate andprogress of cooling of the molten metal as it flows into and solidifiesor freezes within the cavity of the mold, and/or in a particular way, byincreasing the temperature of the molten metal at the inner face of thering, after it is formed and before it has cooled enough to solidify.

It has been discovered by practical experience, that the cooling of themolten metal progresses quite rapidly inward, from the outer side of thecavity of the mold, and also uite rapidly upward and downward from t elower and upper sides of the mold, de-' pending upon the relativethickness of the metal walls of the mold; and that the molten metal atthe inner face of the ring begins to cool and solidify very quicklyafter the ring is formed, aiidbefore the cooling from the outer, upperand lower walls of the mold has progressed inward to the inner face ofthe ring, so that the last portion of the metal to cool and solidify isin the median plane of the ring nearer to the inner face than to thering, from which the cooling and solidifying from the lower corner 0 hasprogressed.

We have, therefore, discovered that the general purpose of the presentinvention may be accomplished by retarding or delaying the cooling ofthe molten metal throughout the entire area of the inner face portion ofthe ring, as by applying thereto a heat insulating or non-conductingmaterial to prevent the radiatiqn of heat therefrom, and/or by locallyretarding or delaying the cooling .of the upper and lower portions ofthe ring adjacent to its inner face until the cooling has progressed,inward from the outer face or periphery of the ring entirely to theinner face thereof, before the molten metal has cooled and solidified atthat place; so that the shrinkage of the metal away from the place offinal cooling and solidifying may cause a depression in the inner faceof thering, rather Elan a cavity or opening in the body of the etal.

We have foiind that the first result referred to, of retarding thecoolingof the metal at the inner face of the ring, ma be accomplished byutilizing the normal slag which may be permitted to remain in the moltenmetal, or by runningmolten slag, or other substance, such as magnesiumcompounds or sand, into the mold, or by applying a blanket of fire clayor burned dolomite to the inner surface of the molten metal immediatelyafter the molten metal has been poured; and as the slag or othersubstance is lighter than the molten metal, it forms a heat insulatingcoating or blanket upon the inner face of the ring, and by retarding thecooling thereof, brings the final point or place of solidification inthe median plane at or very close to the inner face of the ring.

- We have also found that the second result referred to, of locallyretarding the cooling of the upper and lower portion of the ringadjacent to its inner face, may be acc0m-.

, plished by inserting rings of refractory heat insulating material,such as fire brick and the like, in the walls of the mold, and especially in the upper and lowerwallst'hereof, at and adjacent to theinner face of the ring cast therein; so as to cause a selective freez- 7ing of the molten metal in the ring, and retard the cooling andsolidifying of the inner portions thereof until the cooling andsolidifying has progressed from the peripheral por-' tions of the ringinward to ,the inner face thereof, thus bringing the final point ofsolidification at or very close to the same.

And we have further found that, by providing an annular zone ofrefractory heat insulating material in the bottom of the ro-' tary moldtable, immediately. inside of the cavit of the mold, so as to receivethe molten meta as it is poured and iiows into the mold, thesame willretard the cooling of the metal as it is poured upon the table andprevent the formation of a fin or flan e extending inward the ring; andthat the presence of refractory heat insulating rings in the upper andlower sides of the mold, at and adj acent to the inner face of the ring,serves to prevent the formation of any fins or flanges whatever on theinner corners of the ring, and saves the waste of labor and materialrequired-for removing the same.

We have also discovered that in event the inner face of the ring coolsso rapidly that it begins to solidify before the cooling from the outerside of the ringprogresses to the inner side thereof, it may bedesirable, if not necessary, to temporarily increase the temperature atthe inner face of the ring as soon as it is formed, either with orwithout a sub; sequent application of heat insulating material thereto;and the" same may bed'oneby the application to the molten inner face ofthe ring, and elsewhere, if desired, of a substance or a combination'ofsubstances, as for instance, the combination of finely divided aluminumand iron oxide, the'chemical reaction of which increases the temperatureof the metal and delays the cooling and solidifying thereof at the placeor places where the substance is applied.

The principal purposes of the present improvement, thus setforth?ingeneral-terms, and ancillary advantages in the operation ofrotary molds for making massive metal rings, have been successfullyaccomplished by means of the apparatus illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, forming parthereof. in which Figure 1 is an axial elevationsection of a portion of a centrifugal casting machine showing asupporting table with an ordinary form of annular ring mold thereon, bywhich 1 some of the improved process steps have been successfullycarried out; 7

Fig. 2, an enlargement of the cross section, at one side of the ordinarymold; v Fig. 3,/an axial elevation section of the same machine with anrov ed fot'm of annular ring mold thereon, y which all of the inmprovedprocess steps have been successfully carried out; and I i Fig. 4, anenlargement of the cross section, at one side of the improved mold.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the drawings;

The centrifugal casting machine preferably includes a round table 5mounted on a vertical axis, for rotating upon a 'supportin base 6 bydriving gearing 7 provided wit roller bearings 8 and 8a to insure aneven, steady and uniform rotation of the table at a high rate of speed,which may be some 200 R. PAM. I

The ordinary mold may include substantially similar opposing sections 9and 9', having a substantially horizontal joint 10 with an offset 10atherein substantially in the mestantially tangentially,

- tangentially dian plane of the mold; with the necessary flanges 11 andkey bolts 12 for detachably shaped to give the desired section to a massive ring, preferably with the upper? and lower sides of the moldslightly tapered outward toward each other, with rounded corners at theouter side of the mold; and the lower side of the mold may be extendedinward by means of a replaceable annular wear plate 14, for receivingand flowing molten metal into the mold cavity, as indicatedconventionally at A in Fig. 1.

The mold as a whole, or its separable lower section, may be centrallylocated and maintained on the rotary table, by means of a centering ringor plurality of may be secured as by welding 16 upon the top of the tabe.

A molten metal pouring box 17 is removably supported and suspended, asby a frame 18 movable upon a support, not'shown; which box is providedwith a discharge spout 19 located adjacent the inner side of the moldand directed to discharge molten metal, sub

upon the annular plate 14, at the inner side of the mold cavitfy whencethe metal flows by action of centri ugal force, outward into the moldcavit when the machine is rotated, as indicated at A container 20 for apowdered iron-oxid aluminum mixture may be supported over the machineupon the same frame 18, into which container compressed air may beinjected through a pipe 21 for dischar 'ng the powdered mixture throughan out at p1 e 22, having its 0 en end directed substantial y a jacent,the inside of the metal ring B when formed, so as to spray and coat theinner area'of the ring as and after it is formed, with the"oxid-aluminum mixture, to temporarily increase the temperature at theinner area of the ring as and after it is formed,

In the improved form of mold illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, each up erand lower section of the mold is divide into an outer and inner part,respectively 9a, 9b, 9a and 9b, the

division being by a substantially vertical joint 23 and 23a having anoflset 24 therein, so that the inner parts may be read1l def tached forreplacement; but will norma 1y be secured to the outer part, as by meansof rings 25 bearing upon a shoulder 26 on the outer part, and secured tothe inner part as by means of bolts 27 An annular ring of heatinsulating refractory material 28 is inserted in an annular channel 29provided for that purpose in the upper wall of the mold, to face aportion of blocks 15, which the mold-cavity adjacent the inner portionthereof, which rin may be made of a series of arcuate fire bricdovetailed into the chan nel and secured therein, as by afire claycement 30. i

A similar annular ring 28 of heat insulating refractory material isinserted in an annular channel 29 provided for that "purpose in thelower wall of the mold, to face a portion of the mold cavity at andadjacent'the inner portion thereof; which ring may be made of a seriesof arcuate fire brick dovetailed into the'channel and secured therein,

as b a fire clay cement 30', all as well shown in ig. 4.

The lower side of the mold may be extended inward by means of adetachable annular wear plate 14a, for receiving and flowing moltenmetal into the mold cavity, as indicated conventionally at A in Fig. 3;and in the improved form of mold, an, annular zone of heat insulatingrefractory material 31 is inserted in an annular channel 32 provided forthat purpose in the upper side of the ring and extending from the outercorner thereoi to .a point adjacent the inner corner thereof, to receiveand insulate the molten metal as it is'poured upon the wear plate 14a;and this zone may be made of a series of arcuate fire brick dove tailedinto the channel 32 and secured therein, as by a fire clay cement 33, aswell shown in Fig. 4.

The improved mold as a whole, or its 'se arable lower section, ispreferably central y poured upon the table from the spent 19,

ows immediately outward b action of centrifugal force, until the ring isformed, as conventionally shown in Fi 3 and 4; and without the improvedmethod: set forth herein, one. or more openings or cavities may beformed at or in the region of the place marked a in Fig. 2, and aconsiderable flange or fin y is usually formed at thelower inner cornerof the ring, no doubt b a prematurecooling of the molten metal as itflows into the cavity of, the mold and a smaller fin y is sometimesformed at the upper inner corner of the ring by a slight flowing andfreezing of the molten metal inside of the formed face C of the ring. Byuse of the insulating material 28 and 28' in the upper and lower walls'of the mold at and adjacent to the cor'respondin corners of the formedring, and thense o slag or other insulating material in the molten metalto form a heat insulating coatin \or blanket, shown by dotted lines at Don t e inner face of the formed ring, the cooling of the molten metal inthe inner portions of the ring is so retarded that t e cooling of t e mtal has progressed inward from the outer ortions of the rin'g'entirelyto the inner face t ereof, and that the final cooling and solidifyingwill occur at or about a, as shown in Fig. 2.

A similar result may be accomplished, either with or without theinsulations referred to herein, by spraying a mixture of finely dividedalummum and iron-oxid so as to form a coating upon the entire inner areaof the ring as and after it is formed, so as to increase the temperatureand delay the cooling and solidifying of the metal in the inner portionof the ring, until it has progressed inward from the outer peripheralportions entirely to the inner face thereof.

In practice, however, either one, any two, or all of the three methodsteps set forth herein may be employed, according to the varyingconditions which may be present during the molding of a massive metalring; so that the cooling and solidifying of the molten met- .1throughout the entire area of the inner face portion of the ring will beuniformly retarded until the cooling and solidification of themolten'metal has progressed from the outer peripheral portion of thering inward to the inner face thereof.

The presence of the insulatin zone-31 in the annular wear plate 140 in te improved mold,'and the adjoining insulating ring 28' vents theformation of a fin at the inner upper corner of the rin B, so that theinner face C of the ring is ormed without any flanges or fins upon itsinner corners, as shown in Fig. 4, thus saving the waste and expense'ofremovin the same before the ring can be cut into sections and bloomsformed and-thereby rolled into bars or other products.

We claim 1. The 'method of making a' massive ring from molten metal in'a rotating annular mold, which inclu'des flowing molten metal into themolduntil "the ring is formed, and uniformly retarding the cooling andsolidification of-the molten metal throughout the entire area of theinner face portion of the ring until the cooling and solidification ofthe molten metal has progressed from the outer peripheral portion of,the ring inward to the inner face thereof.

2. The method of'making a massive ring from molten metal in a rotatingannular mold, which includes flowing molten metal into the mold 'untilthe ring is formed, retarding the cooling and solidification of theupper and lower fa e f the/r g at and adjacent the inner corners thereofas and after the ring is formed, applying a coating of heat creatingmaterial to the innerarea of the ring, and applying a blanket of heatinsulating material to the inner face of the ring.

3. The method of making a massive ring from molten metal in a rotatingannular mold, which incudes flowing molten metal into the mold until thering is formed, retarding the cooling and solidification of the upperand lower faces of the ring at and adjacent the inner corners thereof asand after the ring is formed, and applying a blanket of heatinsulatingmaterial to the inner face of the ring.

4. The method of making a massive ring from molten metal in a rotatingannular mold, which includes flowing molten metal into the mold untilthe ring is formed, applying a coating of heat creating material to theinner area of the ring, and applying a blanket of heat insulatingmaterial to the inner face of the ring.

5. The method of making a massive ring from molten metal in a rotatingannular mold, which includes flowing molten metal intothe mold until thering is formed, retarding the cooling and solidification of the upperand lower faces of the ring at and adjacent the inner corners thereof asand when the ring is formed and applying a coating of heat creatingmaterial to the inner area of the ring.

6. The method of making a massive ring from molten metal in an annularmold supported on a rotating table, which includes pouring molten metalupon the rotating table and flowing it into the mold until the rin isformed, retarding the cooling and solidi cation of the metal adjacentthe inner face of the ring to be formed, as it is poured upon the tableand flowed into the mold, and applying a coatin of heat creatingmaterial to the inner area o the ring.

7. The method of making a massive ring from molten metalin an annularmold supported on a rotating table, which includes pouring molten metalupon the rotating table and flowing it into the mold 'until the ring isformed, retarding the cooling and solidification of the metal adjacentthe inner face of the ring to be f0rn'1ed, as it is poured upon thetable and flowed into the mold, and applying a blanket of heatinsulating material to the inner face of the ring.

8. The method of making a massive metal ring which include'sflowinmolten metal into a rotating annular mol defining the. up;

' per, lower and outer faces of the ring until a ring having asubstantially square cross sec- I tion of sixteen square inches andupwards is formed with a free inner face, and applying a blanket of heatinsulatin material to the inner free face of the ring for uniformlretarding the Ming and solidification o the molten inner face ortion ofthe ring until the cooling and so 'dification of the molten metal hasprogressed from the upper, lower and outer peripheral ortions of thering inward to bring the fina l place of solidification in the medianplane substantially at the inner face of the ring.

9. The method of making a massive metal ring which includes flowingmolten metal into a rotating annular mold defining the up; per, lowerand outer faces of the ring until a ring having a substantially squarecross section of sixteen square inches and upwards is formed with a freeinner face, and applying a coating of heat creating material to theinner area of the ring for uniformly retarding the cooling andsolidification of the molten inner face ortion of the ring until thecooling and solidification of the molten metal has progressed from the uper, lower and outer perlpheral portions 0 the ring inward to' ring thefinal lace of solidification in the median plane su stantiallyat theinner face of the ring.

into a rotating annular mold, defining the upper, lower and outer facesof the ring until a ring having a substantially square cross section ofsixteen square inches and upward is formed with a free inner face, andlocally retarding the cooling and solidification of the upper and lowerface portions of the ring at an adjacent the inner corners only thereofas and when the ring is formed.

11. The method of making a masive ring from molten metal in an annularmold at the periphery of'a rotating table, which includes pouring moltenmetal upon the table at the inner side of the mold and flowing it intothe mold until the ring is formed, and retardin the cooling andpreventin a solidification o the metal on the table at t e inner face ofthe rin to be formed, as it is poured upon the tab e and flowed into themold.

In testimony that we claim the above, we have hereunto subscribed ournames. v 1

HARRY M. NAUGLE. ARTHUR J. TOWNSEND.

10. The method of making a massive metal ring which includes flowingmolten metal

